Victoria Hops

[pirateagenda]

I picked up some Victoria rhizomes (among others) and they have been my best first year growers and have produced an ok little crop, despite being planted in september.

I can't seem to find any info on the characteristics of this strain though. I'm pretty sure the ones going around that home growers are using aren't vic secret.

Anyone got any ideas of AA, flavours, aromas and best style of beers to use these in?

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

I picked up some Victoria rhizomes (among others) and they have been my best first year growers and have produced an ok little crop, despite being planted in september.

I can't seem to find any info on the characteristics of this strain though. I'm pretty sure the ones going around that home growers are using aren't vic secret.

Anyone got any ideas of AA, flavours, aromas and best style of beers to use these in?

Not a lot of info around Victoria other than here: http://beerlegends.com/victoria-hops

HPA dumped the variety when they were culling the high AA% hops when they moved to growing varieties for flavour and aroma.

It's become popular with some home brewers. I grow a lot of it, high yield, great flavours. Dr. Smurto has a ripping Golden Ale recipe with Victoria in the recipe Db.

 

[pirateagenda]

Great thanks for that. Seems like it might go well in anything where galaxy works!

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I got a great crop of them first year Rhizomes. Experimenting I didnt like them so much later flavor. They definitely don't meat the bar of Galaxy. They were better as a bittering hop long boil I found after late addition tries it had a taste that reminded me of VB ha! thats **** taste etc.
My home grown turned out around 10% AA. As for my judgment with brewing software recordings.
It is a worthy Hop. Bittering character is better than later hop characters but YMMV.

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

I got a great crop of them first year Rhizomes. Experimenting I didnt like them so much later flavor. They definitely don't meat the bar of Galaxy. They were better as a bittering hop long boil I found after late addition tries it had a taste that reminded me of VB ha! thats **** taste etc.
My home grown turned out around 10% AA. As for my judgment with brewing software recordings.
It is a worthy Hop. Bittering character is better than later hop characters but YMMV.

I've had good results with amazing flavours from late additions with Victoria, both wet and dried cones. I've never tried them for bittering, the high co-humulone scared me off until I read this does not necessarily lead to harsh bitterness. I'll have to try them for bittering, Cheers Danscraftbeer.

They have a high myrcene content which is highly volatile and is quickly lost with heat. I get really big fruity mango sherbert from Victoria, I can see where this may not be to everyones tastes.

Drying the hops below 30C will help keep these aroma compounds intact.

 

[husky]

I have only used as late additions from my home grown crop and really liked the flavour. Copious amounts in the WP from memory and it was a hit at my old mans 60th where I had 3 x beers all with home grown VIC late. I used magnum to 5 IBU @ 60 the rest was all VIC.

 

[pirateagenda]

Thanks guys, I should have enough for a couple of brews at least and the cascade is just starting to flower now so I might be able to combine them in a decent pale ale if the fruity and mango descriptions are the same for mine.

Might also try an aussie sparkling ale with WLP059 with vic as the bittering too

 

[drsmurto]

I got a great crop of them first year Rhizomes. Experimenting I didnt like them so much later flavor. They definitely don't meat the bar of Galaxy. They were better as a bittering hop long boil I found after late addition tries it had a taste that reminded me of VB ha! thats **** taste etc.
My home grown turned out around 10% AA. As for my judgment with brewing software recordings.
It is a worthy Hop. Bittering character is better than later hop characters but YMMV.

Haved you grown other hop varieties? If so, how did they go?

I love Victoria hops. So much so they are the last hop standing after 10 years of growing hops (although the Chinook is fighting back after 2 sprays of RoundUp and 1 spray with blackberry killer). I'm torn as to whether I get rid of it and with harvest getting closer I may end up keeping it.

I've brewed loads of golden ales using them as the sole hop and tgat is my favourite version of my golden ale. But it was a IIPA using just homegrown Victoria and Chinook that really blew my mind. So ridiculously fresh and punchy. Even if I did lose almost 5L to the dry hop.

Victoria hops are best described as loquat like. Citrus, peach, mango.

 

[hoppy2B]

I've had good results with amazing flavours from late additions with Victoria, both wet and dried cones. I've never tried them for bittering, the high co-humulone scared me off until I read this does not necessarily lead to harsh bitterness. I'll have to try them for bittering, Cheers Danscraftbeer.

They have a high myrcene content which is highly volatile and is quickly lost with heat. I get really big fruity mango sherbert from Victoria, I can see where this may not be to everyones tastes.

Drying the hops below 30C will help keep these aroma compounds intact.

Wow, I''m surprised you can use it wet. I have been under the impression it had to be dried thoroughly. I might need to try it again as a wet hop. It is definitely my favourite hop.

 

[pirateagenda]

i ended up using mine in a sparkling ale as a whirlpool addition wet. It was a really nice beer but i didn't get a lot of hop character. I think I may have harvested too early - rookie error.

Oh well the first year rhizome now has a main bine with an inch thick trunk so i'm sure it will kick on well next year.